Convergence and Remediation

    Immediacy is the notion that we are surrounded by a certain environment. We are in the presence of what is being represented. In terms of new media forms, this would mean ignoring the media given so us as the audience and/or consumer feel as if we are involved in the action itself. Media types host various tools to try and convey this. Films take part in immediacy by using fast paced action sequences with jump cuts and point of view shots. This allows tension to bring audiences to the edge of their seat, being apart of what is in the picture. Point of view shots puts us in the space of the character, allowing empathy for the character to be stronger, and therefore feeling more connected. The Blair Witch Project is a perfect example for using immediacy. The use of hand held cameras gives the ``real'' effect and we therefore are more likely to forget about the media intercepting us and the action. Video games use point of view shots so you are playing as the character and iPhone applications like Google Maps allows the viewer to feel like they are in the selected location. In some circumstances users can create their own maps from journies taken. I have done this on another blog entry for a psychgeographical project. I uploaded photos of a journey I took around Leicester which allows anyone accessing my blog to experience my journey as well through the maps and photos.{Bolter, Grusin, 2000, Mills Lecture}

Hyperimmediacy, on the contrary  is the style of representation in which we are continually reminded of the media/medium. Thus then reminds us what we are seeing and/or participating with is fake. For example, on many video games life lines and level ratings remind the players they are not fully entwinned with the action. This has gone even further now to most news broadcasts. Looking at BBC News for example, the use of computer generated titles and effects reminds us that we are watching an adapted version of the stories being broadcasted. On many American news broadcasts in particular, sporting scores and upcoming television programmes run horizontally along the bottom of the page. This creates further distance being the action and the viewer, making the audience a passive one and therefore being a prime example of hyperimmediacy.{Bolter, Grusin, 2000. Mills Lecture}

Double Logic is the feeling of immediacy through hyperimmediacy. Films give us the realistic, ``being there feeling'' by using hyperimmediacy effects like music and special effects. This allows the audience to feel the action yet we are reminded that it is all fake as well. Therefore, breaking the forth wall of seperation.

 Remediation takes something from one form of media and refashions it. For example, a basic webpage will consist of text however it then uses other media forms such as graphics and photography to enhance the original piece.


Resources Used/Read:
Bolter, J.D. and Grusin, R. {2000} Remediation: Understanding New Media, Massasschesetts, MIT Press {Introduction and Chapter 14}
Lecture Notes from Week 3 with Simon Mills.